Garegin II Catholicos of all Armenians received in Holy Echmiadzin Lekh Valensa, the ex-President of Poland, winner of Nobel Prize for peace, toether with Tomas Nouf, Polish Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Armenia. {BR} His Holiness expressed his gladness for the visit of Lekh Valensa to Echmiadzin referring to the friendship of the Armenians and the Poles which formed in the Middle...

In connection with the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide the Middle East Church Council by means of its Secretary General has sent a letter to the Catholicos Aram I. They have stressed the necessity of recognizing the Armenian Genocide and supported the fair rights of the Armenian Nation. {BR} The World Church Council also in its announcement made inconnection with the 90th anniversary of...

On April 22 NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan received RF State Duma deputy President Georgy Boos. The RF State Duma deputy President gave the NA President the condoling message of Boris Gryzlov, RF State Duma President, in connection with the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. {BR} On RA President Arthur Baghdasaryan’s offer the possibilities of the regulation of the status of Armenians...

According to the law «On Governmental Non-Commercial Organizations» the government decreed to convey the building located in Teryan Street 2 and belonging to Armfilm film studio after Hamo Baknazaryan to the department for state property under the RA government. {BR} It was also decided on a competitive basis to amortize the organization's buildings and constructions occupying the territory of 24292.6...

Today Armenian Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan had a phone conversation with Pier Ferdinando Casini, the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. The parties discussed the development of the Armenian-Italian relations and political cooperation. {BR} At the suggestion of Arthur Baghdasaryan the two parliament heads touched upon the possibility of discussing the Armenian Genocide issue in...

April 23 the delegation of the Armenian Apostolic Church will depart for Vatican to take part in the Mass for the solemn inauguration of pontificate Benedict 16th to be celebrated at St. Peter's on Sunday, April 24 at 10 a.m{BR} The delegation is composed of Armenian Partiarch of Constantinople, Archbishop Mesrop Mutafyan, Archbishop Nerses Pozapalyan from Holy Echmiadzin and priest Trdat Uzunyan.

Today Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, who is on working visit to France, met with President of the French National Assembly Jean Louis Debre and Senate President Christian Poncelet. {BR} The parties have discussed the bilateral relations as well as the events to be held within the Year of Armenia in France in 2006. Robert Kocharyan noted that it is a good chance to represent the rich Armenian...

Today Robert Kocharyan has left for Paris on official duty. He will have meetings with President Jacques Chirac, and the Presidents of the Senate and National Assembly. {BR} Robert Kocharyan will return to Yerevan on April 23.

Today Robert Kocharyan has signed the RA Laws on State Labor Inspectorate and Combat against Terror. {BR} On the same day he has also signed the Law on amending the RA Administrative Violations Code.

Today Robert Kocharyan has sent a congratulating message to the newly elected Pope Benedict XVI. {BR} It is said in the message, “Your Holiness, on behalf of the Armenian Nation and myself I send You warm congratulations on being elected Pope and on starting Your high mission as the leader of the Catholic Church. I am convinced that all Your initiatives will be crowned with success and the Rome...

By the April 19 decree of Robert Kocharyan Arman Kirakosyan has been appointed RA Deputy Foreign Minister. {BR}

On April 19 the Polish Seym has recognized the fact of the Armenian Genocide. The Polish Parliament has unanimously adopted an announcement with which they condemn the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. {BR} It is mentioned in the announcement that the Seym pays a tribute of the respect to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide realized by the Turks during the First World War/

Today Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan received director of Europe Aid's Mediterranean and Middle East division Richard Weber and head of the EU Commission in Armenia and Georgia Torben Holtze. {BR} Noting that the gradual integration in European values and structures is one of the priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy, Andranik Margaryan expressed satisfaction with the establishment...

By the order of the Georgian President Mikhail Sahakashvili Armen Amirkhanyan has bee appointed first deputy governor of Samtskhe-Javakhq. The information has been provided by the agency «A-info». {BR} Before this appointment 30-year-old Amirkhanyan was the responsible of the Akhalqalaq office of the Minorities Issues European Center. Amirkhanyan, who has replaced Shota Beroujanyan in this post, took the post on April 18.

On April 18, 2005, the meeting of the co-chairs of the State Committee on the demarcation of the RA and Georgia borderline G. Gharibjanyan, RA deputy Foreign Minister, and M. Mikaladze, special ambassador of the Georgian Foreign Ministry. {BR} The sides found the necessity of quickening the process of demarking the RA-Georgia borderline extremely important and mentioned the timetable of the works to be done in that connection.

On April 12-15 in Geneva RA Ombudsman Larissa Alavardyan took part in the 61st session of the Human Rights Committee and in the 16th session of the Internation Coordinating Committe of Human rights defense and support. {BR} The RA Defendor of Human Rights was making speech in this session for the first time. Larissa Alavardyan’s speech was devoted to the legislative field within the framework of...

On April 16, the professional holiday of policemen was celebrated on the official level in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. {BR} A delegation from Armenia headed by Deputy Chief of the RA Police, General-Major Grigor Grigorian, arrived in Nagorno Karabakh for the participation in the events. The festive events began with the solemn formation of the policemen in front of the NKR Police building. Then...

On Friday, April 15, Mr. Armen Barseghyan was taken to the United States from Armenia to face charges for his alleged involvement in a plot to smuggle arms into the U.S. {BR} A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office said, on Saturday, that Mr. Barseghyan will appear in court this week, along with 20 other defendants that have been indicted in connection with this case. This case highlights the...

Today Leonidas Pantelides, the Cyprus ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, has given his credentials to Robert Kocharyan. The sides have discussed issued about the enhancing of the Armenian-Cyprian relations. {BR} The ambassador has mentioned that an important means of the development of relations can be the raise of the cooperation level in the international structures. Robert Kocharyan...

Today RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan met in London OSCE Minsk group Co-chairs Yuriy Merzlyakov (Russian Federation), Steven Mann (United States of America) and Bernard Fassier (France). The meeting which was organized on the initiative of the Co-chairs took place in the UA Embassy to Great Britain. {BR} The discussion was about the Prague agenda issues. The London meeting had the aim to prepare...

On April 20-23 Robert Kocharyan will leave for France on official duty where he will meet President Jacques Chirac and the Presidents of the Senate and the National Assembly. {BR} Let us remind you that the visit was scheduled for 10 days ago, but it was postponed due to leg injury of the President after the visit to Gudauri.

Today representatives of Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Iran met in Yerevan to discuss consular issues concerning citizens of the both countries.{BR} This is the first joint meeting of such kind. It is planned that during the two-day meeting the parties will also touch upon various social, visa-related issues, problems of foreign students, as well as matters of transfrontier transportation. The...

Today Robert Kocharyan received head of the Yerevan office of European Bank of Development and Reconstruction Michael Veinstein.{BR} The parties dicussed issues on prospects of the activities of the Armenian branch of the Bank. Michael Veinstein noted that at present the Bank more than ever is interested in Armenia and has already developed a large package of projects to be implemented here....

The government took note of the report of the RA government Committee on coordination of charitable programmes concerning the implemented activities.{BR} According to the report, in 2004 within the framework of the programmes recognized as charitable by the committee, cargo amounting to 18,42 billion AMD were imported to the republic from 29 countries addressing 124 organizations. 50,54% of them...